Container with a fixed number of elements

ABSTRACT

A building block set which allows the assembly of a variety of stances and/or postures of a canine figure includes two basic building block units. One is a quadrant of a right circular cylinder and the other is a somewhat larger unit having a rectangular base portion integral with and surmounted by a quadrant of a right circular cylinder. The inner faces of the first unit are of identical rectangular size and shape as is the smaller inner face of the other unit. The larger inner face of the other unit is twice the size of its smaller face and all of the inner faces are provided with recesses to receive pegs which join the units as desired.

United States Patent I Drieze n51 3,685,201 1 Aug. 22, 1972 [54]CONTAINER WITH A FIXED NUMB OF ELEMENTS 221 Filed: Nov. 4, 1971 21Appl.No.: 195,576

[52] US. Cl ..46/26, 46/16 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63h 33/10 [58] Field ofSearch ..46/16, l7, 22, 26; 35/69, 72; 273/ 157 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,049,097 7/ 1936 Winnemore ..46/17 2,169,6828/1939 Duncan ..46/22 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene AssistantExaminer-D. L. Weinhold Attorney-John P. Snyder et a].

[ ABSTRACT A building block set which allows the assembly of a varietyof stances and/or postures of a canine figure includes two basicbuilding block units. One is a quadrant of a right circular cylinder andthe other is a somewhat larger unit having a rectangular base portionintegral with and surmounted by a quadrant of a right circular cylinder.The inner faces-of the first unit are of identical rectangular size andshape as is the smaller inner face of the other unit. The larger innerface of the other unit is twice the size of its smaller face and all ofthe inner faces are provided with recesses to receive pegs which jointhe units as desired,

10 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures CONTAINER WITH A FIXED NUMBER OF ELEMENTSBACKGROUND AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present inventionrelates to an educational toy device which is, in essence, a buildingblock set consisting essentially of two different building block units.Because of the different sizes and shapes of the two basic buildingblock units, and the arrangement of recesses therein for receiving pegmeans which attach adjacent units to each other, an almost unlimitedvariety of arrangements of these two units may be employed but only alimited number of which will lead to a configuration of the assembleddevice which simulates a stance or posture of a canine figure withrealism. By realism is meant that the general proportion and shape ofthe completed figure will lend a credible simulation of a canine figurewithout such distortions of dimensions as would destroy the overalleffect. The assembling of the two basic building block units incooperative combination with each other and the joining of the sametogether lends a distinct challenge to the person making the assemblyand, in particular, the arrangement is such as to provide an educationaldevice for children particularly as regards their concept of space andspatial relationships.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is an explodedperspective view showing all of the component parts of the basicassembly;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of but one of a possible number ofconfigurations simulating a canine figure; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane ofsection line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference at this time moreparticularly to FIG. 1, the basic units comprising the building blockassembly or set according to the present invention is shown therein.Reference character indicates in general a first building block unitwhereas the reference character 12 indicates in general a secondbuilding block unit whereas the reference characters 14 and 16 indicatein general the peg means associated with the two building block unitsand the reference character 18 indicates an extra but not necessary unitwhich may be utilized in assembling the canine figures.

The first building block unit 10 will be seen to be in generalconfiguration in the shape of a quadrant of a right circular cylindersuch as to present a square or rectangular inner face 20 and anidentical inner face on the bottom side thereof as is indicated by thereference character 22. The outer face 24 of this first unit is ofcurved form, as shown, and the remaining two sides of the unit 10 arecomprised of identical opposite side faces 26 which have the shape of aquadrant of a circle. Centrally located within each of the faces 20 and22 are the square recesses 28 and 30 which open upon the respectivesides 20 and 22 centrally thereof, and perpendicular thereto tointersect with each other inter nally of the building unit 10.

The second basic building block unit 12 consists of a square or cubicbase portion 32 surmounted by a quadrant 34 of a right circularcylinder. The quadrant 34 is identical in size and shape to the buildingblock unit 10 and the base portion 32 is a cube which has sidedimensions equal to the side dimensions of the faces 20 and 22 of thebuilding block 10. Thus, the building block 12 presents two inner faces36 and 38 (see FIG. 3,) the former of which is of identical size andshape to the faces 20 and 22 of the unit 10 and the latter of which 38is twice the size thereof, having twice the height of either of thefaces 20, 22, or 36. The base portion 40 of the outer face of the unit12 is flat and the upper outer face portion 42 is curved, defining thecylindrical quadrant surface and the remaining opposite sides or faces44 of the unit 12 are flat and parallel as will be evident. The baseportion 32 is provided with two through-recesses 46 and 48 and a recess50, all intersecting internally of the base portion 32 whereas thesurmounting right circular cylindrical portion 34 is provided with therecess 52. The recess 48 opens on the opposite sides of the unit 12 andis centrally located within the base portion 32 thereof and extendsperpendicularly to the opposite side faces 44, as shown. The recess 42extends also through the base portion 32 of the unit 12 but at rightangles to the recess 48 and opens centrally of the outer side 40 and theinner side 38 of the base portion 32. Lastly, the recess 50 openscentrally of the bottom or inner face 36 of the unit 12 and the threerecesses 46, 48 and 50 intersect in a common region as shown.

The recess 52 opens centrally of the face 38 of the unit 12 within thesurmounting right cylinder quadrant portion 34 thereof but does notproject through the unit 12.

A number of pegs 14 are provided, of elongate form and having flutedside faces 54 presenting the corner edges 56 which fit snugly within thecorners of the various recesses hereinbefore mentioned therebyfrictionally engaging therewithin to hold the various building blockunits in inner face-to-inner face juxtaposition according to the desireof the assembler. A further single peg 16 may be provided in each set,same being: of cylindrical form having a diameter equal to the internalside dimension of the recesses so as to be snugly received therewithinhowever allowing relative rotation or positioning of the building blockunits so joined. Lastly, the annular ring 18 may be provided to simulatethe neck or collar of the canine figure, same having a central opening58 more or less snugly receiving the peg 16 or, if desired, one of thepegs 14 in surrounding relation thereto and interposed between adjacentbuilding block units as will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3. FIGS. 2 and 3illustrate but one of a number of various stances and/or postures of acanine figure which give rise to a very realistic simulation of typicalpostures or stances of an actual canine. As shown in FIG. 3, the bodyportion of the particular configuration shown is made up of combinationsof the two basic building block units 10 and 12 and likewise for thelegs, tail, head and ears, as shown. Various arrangements of the unit 12may be used to form various shapes and postures of the main body andunits 10 may be added as desired and necessary. The feet, tail, head andears may be arranged in various relative postures and a great variety offorms and shapes may he arrived at with the free exercise of theimagination. Each, however, requires a different arrangement of thebasic units and 12 and in order to arrive at a pre-imagined shape, it isnecessary to visualize the spatial concept involved and, in this way,the device offers an excellent opportunity for educational purposes sothat a child may better understand spatial concepts and relationships.

What is claimed is:

1. A building block set for assembling animated canine figurestherefrom, said set comprising in combination:

a basic building block combination which comprises first and secondbuilding blcok units;

said first unit being a quadrant of a right circular cylinder havingflat, inner faces disposed at right angles to each other and each ofidentical rectangular form, and a curved outer surface, each of saidinner faces being provided with a recess perpendicular thereto in whichsaid recesses intersect internally of the said first unit;

said second unit being in the form of a rectangular base portionsurmounted by a quadrant of a right circular cylinder of substantiallyidentical form as said first unit, said second unit presenting a firstinner face of substantially identical area as the individual inner facesof said first unit and a second inner face of substantially twice theheight as the individual inner faces of said first unit, said firstinner face of the second unit having a recess perpendicular thereto andsaid second inner face having a pair of recesses perpendicular thereto,said pair of recesses being spaced apart by a distance substantiallyequal to said height of the individual inner faces of said first unit;and

peg means for reception in the recesses of said first and second unitsto join same in inner face-toinner face relation. 2. A building blockset as defined in claim lwherein said recesses are of square crosssection and said peg means includes an elongate peg having fluted facesdefining curves snugly received in said recesses.

3. A building block set as defined in claim 2 wherein the recess in saidsecond unit which is located within said base portion thereof projectscompletely therethrough to open upon the front side of said second unit.

4. A building block set as defined in claim 3 wherein said second unitpresents flat, parallel opposite side faces provided with athrough-recess perpendicular thereto and internally intersecting thethrough-recess of said base portion.

5. A building block set as defined in claim 4 wherein said peg meansalso includes a round peg of diameter equal to the length of one side ofsaid recesses.

6. A building .block set as defined in claim 5 including an annularblock for interposition between a pair of said units in surroundingrelation to a peg joining same.

7. A building block set as defined in claim 1 wherein the recess in saidsecond unit which is located within said base portion thereof projectscompletely therethrough to open upon the front side of said second unit.

8. A building block set as defined in claim 7 wherein 'd u 't en fl tarallel o sit side f es pfi gili deci wftii a rofigh recess p rgndicular thereto and internally intersecting the through-recess of saidbase portion.

9. A building block set as defined in claim 8 wherein said peg meansalso includes a round peg of diameter equal to the length of one side ofsaid recesses.

10. A building block set as defined in claim 9 including an annularblock for interposition between a pair of said units in surroundingrelation to a peg joining same.

1. A building block set for assembling animated canine fIgurestherefrom, said set comprising in combination: a basic building blockcombination which comprises first and second building block units; saidfirst unit being a quadrant of a right circular cylinder having flat,inner faces disposed at right angles to each other and each of identicalrectangular form, and a curved outer surface, each of said inner facesbeing provided with a recess perpendicular thereto in which saidrecesses intersect internally of the said first unit; said second unitbeing in the form of a rectangular base portion surmounted by a quadrantof a right circular cylinder of substantially identical form as saidfirst unit, said second unit presenting a first inner face ofsubstantially identical area as the individual inner faces of said firstunit and a second inner face of substantially twice the height as theindividual inner faces of said first unit, said first inner face of thesecond unit having a recess perpendicular thereto and said second innerface having a pair of recesses perpendicular thereto, said pair ofrecesses being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to saidheight of the individual inner faces of said first unit; and peg meansfor reception in the recesses of said first and second units to joinsame in inner face-to-inner face relation.
 2. A building block set asdefined in claim 1 wherein said recesses are of square cross section andsaid peg means includes an elongate peg having fluted faces definingcurves snugly received in said recesses.
 3. A building block set asdefined in claim 2 wherein the recess in said second unit which islocated within said base portion thereof projects completelytherethrough to open upon the front side of said second unit.
 4. Abuilding block set as defined in claim 3 wherein said second unitpresents flat, parallel opposite side faces provided with athrough-recess perpendicular thereto and internally intersecting thethrough-recess of said base portion.
 5. A building block set as definedin claim 4 wherein said peg means also includes a round peg of diameterequal to the length of one side of said recesses.
 6. A building blockset as defined in claim 5 including an annular block for interpositionbetween a pair of said units in surrounding relation to a peg joiningsame.
 7. A building block set as defined in claim 1 wherein the recessin said second unit which is located within said base portion thereofprojects completely therethrough to open upon the front side of saidsecond unit.
 8. A building block set as defined in claim 7 wherein saidsecond unit presents flat, parallel opposite side faces provided with athrough-recess perpendicular thereto and internally intersecting thethrough-recess of said base portion.
 9. A building block set as definedin claim 8 wherein said peg means also includes a round peg of diameterequal to the length of one side of said recesses.
 10. A building blockset as defined in claim 9 including an annular block for interpositionbetween a pair of said units in surrounding relation to a peg joiningsame.